Departures
by Let-The-Wookiee-Win
Summary: When one door opens... Han and Leia have welcomed their first grandchild and seen their son return to them, though still grieving for the loss of his first love to another man. For Han and Leia, however, another trial lurks just around the corner.
1. Chapter 1

_This follows on from 'Arrivals' which saw the birth of Han and Leia's first grandchild and the return to the fold of their eldest son, Jacen. Still healing from the loss of his first love, Jacen has further worries to face whilst his sister, Jaina, struggles to cope with the early days of motherhood and for Han and Leia...more angst lies just around the corner._

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"It's okay son. She's gone." Han told Jacen who had taken to hiding back in his self-made cushion den until his mother had left the apartment.

Han stood, thumbs hooked in the rear band of his pants and watched as his eldest son crawled from his comfort zone. "You're gonna have to face her sometime kid." He said, perching against the arm of a chair.

"She's gonna hate me!" Jacen croaked.

"Your mother's not capable of hate." Han shook his head.

"_I hate me!_" Jacen spat, looking up at his father from dark, pained eyes.

Han sighed inwardly and shrugged. "You gotta let go the hate Jace. Let it go or let it destroy you. Your choice."

"That the same speech you gave Mom?" Jacen asked.

Han considered before nodding. "Pretty much."

"She listen to you?" The boy queried.

"She's still here." Han pointed out.

"Bet you can just talk your way outta any situation, can't you?" Jacen questioned.

"Oh I don't know. I'm struggling with this one." Han sighed.

"So how did you get through to Mom?" Jacen asked.

Han disguised the roll of his eyes as an examination of the ceiling while he thought back.

"You and your sister were about six months old. We'd just learned your Mom was pregnant again and we'd invited your Uncle Luke and Aunt Mara over to dinner to tell them. She was pretty mad at me for getting her pregnant again." Han smirked. "Though in my defence, it's not like I did it on purpose."

His chuckle was met with stony silence from Jacen. Han cleared his throat before continuing. "Anyway. We'd had dinner and we were sat at the table talking..."

….. Han, confident their secret was safe, was about to announce the news when Luke asked. "Hey, whatever happened to that picture you had of our father?"

The silence was deafening.

"Picture?" Leia queried, stiffening.

"Yeah, you remember. The one Han bought for you at that auction on Tatooine." Luke prompted.

_Anyone else. _Han thought. _Would have recognised the signs and shut up, but not sweet, innocent, inoffensive Luke._

"You have a picture? An actual _picture_ of Vader?" Mara asked. "I always thought of him as camera shy."

"Not of Vader. This was of Anakin Skywalker when he was a boy growing up on Tatooine." Luke explained.

"I don't know. I think we got rid of it." Leia told them toying with the remainder of her dessert.

"Why would you do that?" Luke asked.

"Because I've told you, more times than I care to remember Luke, that I want no part of _that_ man in my life." Leia responded coldly.

"'That man' was our father." Luke reminded her.

"'_That man_' was a monster and nothing you say will ever make me see him any other way." Leia spat.

Han rubbed at the back of his neck nervously. "Actually...I'm pretty sure I had it put into storage."

Leia glared at her husband. "I asked you to get rid of it."

"I know you did sweetheart. But I figured one day you might regret that decision." Han replied.

"Oh. You did, did you?" Leia's big brown eyes burned fire.

"Honey, we talked about this before the twins were born." Han said. "We agreed that when the time was right, we'd explain to them about Vad...about Anakin. I just thought the picture might help them to see that, before anything else, he had been a normal little kid, just like them."

"Han's right." Luke agreed.

_Seriously kid. _Han thought. _You really need to learn when to just shut the Hell up!_

Leia's head turned slowly to regard her brother.

"This hatred you have for him Leia, you have to let it go." Luke continued.

_Ideally before you said that._ Han thought.

"I will _not_ have this conversation with you again Luke. Not here. Not now." Leia stated, slowly, so there could be no misunderstanding.

"But if you continue to let it fester..." Luke started, halting when Leia's hand slapped hard against the table.

"I said no!" She barked.

Han tentatively covered Leia's hand with his own, gently caressing it. Her hard stare softened at the lift of his lip into a loving smile.

"We're having another baby." Han said, his smile transforming into a grin while his eyes held hers.

Luke looked between his sister and brother-in-law, his own face breaking into a broad smile. "All the more reason to..." He began.

"Luke." Mara touched his arm lightly and Han had the distinct feeling they were conversing silently with each other.

"How about fresh caf to celebrate?" Han asked, arching an eyebrow. "Leia's made biscuits."

The caf was enjoyed with mint baked flat biscuits that had begun life as vanilla twists and conversation around the new baby, when he or she was due and whether he or she would be Force-sensitive.

Luke and Mara had left without pursuing the question of the portrait of young Anakin Skywalker and, following their nightly ritual of feeding, bathing, changing and reading to their twins, Han and Leia had retired to their own comfortable bed.

Han might not have been considered by many to be the most sensitive of men, but he'd shared enough female company to know when to talk and when to listen. As he lay with Leia spooned to his side, he was very much aware now was the time to listen.

He'd slipped one arm beneath her pillow to wrap across her shoulders, his other hand lay splayed upon her hip.

He felt her smile against his arm at the sound of their baby twins gurgling to one another. Their conversation seemed as intense as the grown ups had been earlier.

"I wonder what they're discussing." Leia commented, a hand hooking around Han's wrist to draw circles with her fingertips.

"Probably deciding which teat they fancy for breakfast." Han mused. "Or wondering what all the shouting was about earlier."

"Oh. That." Leia said sourly.

"Luke has a point you know." Han told her softly. "Maybe the kid needs to learn when to voice his opinions, but he does have a point."

Leia twisted to lie flat on the bed while Han, still on his side, looked down at her.

"I can't just forgive him the way Luke has. I don't hate him, but I still can't forgive him. Not yet. I'm not ready." She said.

"I can understand that. He took your whole world away. I get why you're not ready to forgive and forget. But the twins pick up on your moods and your feelings, even without their abilities. Take their Force-sensitivity into account and those emotions could be a recipe for disaster. You've _got_ to find a way of reconciling your feelings for him Leia. If not for your own sake, then for theirs. Not to mention this little fella." He slid his big hand to her abdomen and squeezed very gently.

"I'm not angry with him for me." Leia told him. "I knew the score when I joined the Rebellion. I knew if I was caught I'd be tortured, or worse. I can't even be mad at him for Luke, he was only following his paternal instincts I suppose."

"Then what?" Han queried, searching her face for some clue.

"Bespin. I can't forgive him for what he did to you at Bespin." She whispered.

"I'm big enough an' ugly enough to fight my own battles sweetheart." He said, leaning forward to rub the tip of her nose with his own. "Besides, you're not the only one who knew what they were getting into associating with those rebel types."

"I love you Han." She said, her eyes drinking in his features.

"I know." He grinned down at her.

Leia smiled up at him.

"You're not just talking about the scan grid though are you?" Han asked.

Leia shook her head.

"He gave you away." She said, swallowing. "He wanted Luke as his apprentice. He wanted me dead as a Rebel spy. But you?...He didn't want you at all. So he gave you to the Bounty Hunter." She reached up to trace the scar on his chin with a fingertip. "You were nothing to him. Utterly unimportant. Invisible. That's what I can't forgive him for."

Han rubbed the tip of his nose the length of Leia's, his lips descending to press against his wife's. His movements were slow, practised and precise. When the kiss ended, they were both at peace.

"I'll talk to Luke." Leia promised. "I'll find a way to make him understand how I feel. I may never be ready to forgive our father completely, but I don't hate him. I came from love, I'm not capable of hate." …..

"If you can't stop hating for yourself, then do it for your Mom." Han said when he'd finished reminiscing.

"I'm tired. I'm going back to sleep." Jacen sulked, then crawled back into his den.

Han sighed inwardly again. It was beginning to feel like a habit.  
His eyes scanned the room, resting on a bottle of pretty expensive whiskey Lando Calrissian had brought for him a while back. Han contemplated getting completely womp rat-assed before dismissing the idea as foolish.  
His attention returned to the cushion-den and the boy hiding inside. And he made a decision. Dropping to his knees, Han shouldered his way into his son's hiding place.

"Dad? What are you doing?" Jacen exclaimed.

"Son, we need to talk and we can't do that with me out there and you in here." Han explained.

"This is my haven!" The boy wailed.

"Actually, this is my home. The one I share with your Mom and your brother when he's home from school. Which he will be later, only he and and your Mom are bunking with your sister, her husband and their new baby because, kid, you and I both know Jorj will have the poodoo scared outta him if he sees you like this." Han said. "So, meet me half way here would you and just help me to understand what it is that's going on inside your head."

Han spun to sit cross-legged opposite his son, head stooped forward to avoid knocking the roof off the boy's hideout.

"You know that's about the longest sentence you ever said to me." Jacen noted.

"You know how absurd we both look about now?" Han countered.

"I...I find you intimidating." Jacen said.

"I'm your father!" Han stated, exasperated.

"Who intimidates me." Jacen repeated. "If I were _anybody_ else, you wouldn't invade my space the way you just did."

"This isn't _your_ space. It's _my_ living room floor." Han argued.

"If I were Mom, you'd wait for me to come to you." Jacen shot back.

"If you were your Mom I'd be looking forward to it!" Han growled.

Jacen blanched and Han exhaled, regretting his words.

"Look, Son, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply..." Han started.

"It's okay Dad. I get it." Jacen interrupted sullenly.

"Great. Then maybe you can explain it to me." Han suggested.

"I disappoint you." Jacen offered. "I'm not a great pilot like Jaina is. I don't have any special abilities the way Anakin did. I don't have Mom's diplomatic prowess or your gift with the ladies. I don't even have special needs to make me stand out from the crowd. I embarrass you."

"You run the business single-handed. You don't think that takes talent?" Han asked.

"Only because I've had to, not because it's what I want to do." Jacen replied. "You don't remember just how bad you were after Chewie died. Mom was scared you'd harm others if not yourself and asked me to look out for you. There were times you got so drunk I as good as had to change your diaper!"

"I...I had no idea." Han confessed.

"Cleaning up your vomit, faeces and urine wasn't the worst though." Jacen added. "It was hauling the garbage you 'negotiated for mates rates' during one drunken conversation after another. It cost us more in fuel than we got back. And all the time Dad, all the time those 'mates' you thought had your back? They were laughing at you behind it. The great Han Solo, the smuggler who said anything was possible with a little hard work and a lot of ingenuity, the guy who proved all the critics wrong by marrying a Princess! _That guy_, was nothing but a washed up, worthless piss-head."

"Jacen, I'm sorry." Han said simply.

"_That_ guy, the one they were laughing at, he was _my_ _father_." Jacen added, his voice accusatory.

"He still is Son, if you'll let him be." Han offered and cleared his throat. "You had it rough and I'm sorry, truly. You know, by the time Anakin came along I'd made all the mistakes I thought I could with you. And Jorj, well, I lost count of the number of times I wanted to shake him until his teeth rattled! He was five before he even looked at me like I was part of his family. Your Mom was run ragged and it wasn't like she didn't have her own health worries to consider. But Jorj, bless his pure, innocent heart, he just turned to her for everything."

"I see you with him now and it's like you're a proper father at last. You take him to the beach, build sandcastles with him, tickle him 'til he begs you to stop." Jacen said.

"You wanna go to the beach Son?" Han asked. "Because if you wanna go, I'll take you."

"That's not what I'm saying..." Jacen groaned and wiped a hand across his face.

"Then what is it you _are_ saying?" Han queried. "Because this is where our problems lie, if you have something to say then say it."

Jacen let a long breath escape his lips. "You're a great Dad. The best. I mean, obviously, you've gotten better over time..." Jacen began.

"Spit it out Son." Han prompted.

"I wanna be the kind of Dad you've become. I want my kids to look up to me, to respect me yes, but to love me too." Jacen said, turning to face his father fully.

"Don't you maybe need a girl first to..." Realisation suddenly dawned as Han watched the blush to Jacen's face darken. "Tenel Ka! Her baby is..."

Han pointed a lame finger in Jacen's direction.

"Mine. Yeah." Jacen replied. "She told me after the Wedding. And before you ask, I'm sure."

Han groaned, wiping the back of his neck with a hand. "No wonder you're a mess."

"I just don't know what I'm supposed to do. I'm over Tenel Ka. She made her choice and I wasn't it, Tilly made me see that. But, that's _my_ child." Jacen confessed.

"I don't know what to say." Han struggled.

"Say you'll help me." Jacen prompted.

"Help you how?" Han asked, afraid he already knew.

"Thing is...Tenel Ka, she doesn't want to keep the baby when it's born." Jacen went on to say.

"You're over her but you're still seeing her?" Han growled.

"Talking. Not seeing. And she contacted me, not the other way around." Jacen answered.

"So let me get this straight..." Han worried at a frown line on his forehead. "With just a couple of weeks or so to go, your 'ex' decides she not mother-material and what...asks...suggests...begs you to take her baby when it's born?"

"Kinda." Jacen replied hesitantly.

"How 'kinda'?" Han pressed.

"The truth is, this thing with Lang, it's..well..it's more of a financial arrangement." Jacen explained.

"No kidding." Han deadpanned.

"And, the thing is, he's...well...he's just not that into her." Jacen continued.

"Wait one minute." Han held up a hand. "Tell me you're not getting involved with her again."

"I'm not getting involved with her again." Jacen confirmed.

"Because she's played you already Son and I don't want to see you get any more hurt than you already have been." Han persisted.

"I promise you Dad, I'm over her and I have no intention of going back there." Jacen affirmed.

"I need some air!" Han stated and climbed to his feet, knocking cushions hither and thither.

"Daaad!" Jacen complained.

"You wanna be a father, you need to do it in the cold light of day!" Han told his son, stretching his back and shoulders. "Plus, my pelvis can't stay in that position any longer."

"I'm supposed to have somewhere safe, where I can gather my thoughts and stuff." Jacen mewled.

"Come on Jace, all you're doing in there is hiding from that 'stuff'." Han said.

"You pretend to understand, but you don't. Not really." Jacen sulked.

"I don't understand?" Han accused. "I tried running away after Chewie, you remember how that turned out don't you?"

"Yeah. You and Mom are stronger now than ever." Jacen countered, starting to gather his cushions.

"Not before I almost lost her." Han shot back.

"I know. I was there, remember?" Jacen replied.

"Okay. Look. What say we start over?" Han suggested, staying Jacen with a hand. "But seriously, I gotta sit in a regular chair 'cos my butt is killing me!"

With a disgruntled sigh, Jacen capitulated and together they righted the sofa and returned cushions to their place.

"Thanks." Han smiled gratefully at his son as they both sank into self-conforming chairs. "Now, where were we?"

Jacen shaded his eyes from the light.

"I can dim the lighting or close the blinds if that'd help, but I never knew a truth that couldn't stand up to a little daylight." Han said.

Jacen removed his hand, took a breath and licked his lips.

"Truth is Tenel Ka doesn't want me to take the baby when it's born, but she thinks it would be for the best for everyone if I did." Jacen explained.

"Everyone? How is a newborn baby not being nursed by it's own mother in a better position than one that is?" Han queried.

"When that newborn baby is heir to a matriarchal society." Jacen replied, looking through dark lashes at his father. "The baby's a girl. For certain."

"Even so Son..." Han started.

"Tenel Ka knows first hand what it's like to be the sole heir. She doesn't want our daughter to live her life the way she had to." Jacen argued. "It's not like I don't know how to look after a baby, I helped plenty when Jorj was born."

"You didn't breast-feed at two in the morning." Han pointed out.

"And the first diaper's a shocker. I know Dad, I heard you say it a hundred times before. Don't you think I've thought of all that?" Jacen asked.

"Is she going to support you financially, because keeping a kid aint cheap!" Han said.

"I _am_ the baby's father." Jacen reminded his father. "She could just as easily petition me for financial support."

"No doubt you've already worked out a cover story for her being pregnant one day and childless the next." Han sighed.

"Stillbirth." Jacen stated. "Still happens."

"Yes it does. Am I the only one seeing a cruel irony here?" Han said, remembering his own stillborn child.

"Her mind's made up Dad. Whatever happens she's not gonna keep the baby." Jacen shook his head sadly. "If I don't take her, someone else will and I may never get to see my baby again."

"And when it gets tough, you gonna be able to handle that or are you gonna drown your sorrows in booze or spice?" Han asked darkly. "Or do you think your Mom and I are gonna bail you out?"

"I'm not asking, nor do I expect, you or Mom to bail me out." Jacen said. "But there's no denying the past few months have exposed a few issues for me. When alcohol didn't help I turned to drugs which made some things clearer but clouded others. I tried using the moments of clarity to determine what it is that I needed to achieve. How to move forward, you know?"

Han smiled to himself, sometimes Jacen sounded more like his mother than his mother actually did. And sometimes he was his father, through and through.

"Guess that's pretty funny isn't it?" Jacen sulked, noting his father's amused expression.

"I'm not laughing at you Jacen. I'm thinking how much like your Mother you are." Han's smile broadened. "It's nice. But let's cut to the chase, what's the plan?"

"After Tenel Ka's given birth she's got a sympathetic nursemaid who's gonna bring the baby to me." Jacen said.

"Okay. So, let's say, that all goes to plan. Then what?" Han asked. When his son failed to continue, Han arched an eyebrow. "That it? That's what you disappeared for six months planning?"

Jacen's stomach growled.

"Seriously kid, you want my help I need to know it all!" Han insisted.

Jacen eyed his father sceptically, before going on. "I wasn't all that far away actually."

"You weren't home, we had the apartment monitored." Han said. "The port too. An' not just for the Falcon."

"I was with Tilly." Jacen explained. "She's been...incredible really."

Han watched his son's expression soften, his mood lighten.

"She's gonna help you raise the kid." Han stated.

"She and I..." Jacen stumbled. "She's..."

"Would you rather do this with your Mom? Because I can call her if you want." Han asked.

"Aw for kriff sake Dad!" Jacen pushed to his feet and started pacing the room.

Han rose, strode to his son, gripped his shoulders and turned the boy towards him. "I wanna help ya son, honestly I do. But there's this void between us and I just don't know how to close it. You say I intimidate you, well, kid this whole situation is intimidating me. You think I'm embarrassed by you, well let me tell you I grew tall and I grew fast. I was outta my pants faster'n my Mom could fix 'em. Now _that's_ embarrassing." Jacen laughed in spite of himself and Han let go of the boy's shoulders. "Now we can go on trading 'my Dad's bigger'n your Dad' stories all day if you like. But I'd much prefer it if you could just get beyond what it is you _think_ I think about you and tell me what's going on behind the eyes you inherited from your mother. Whatcha say kid, huh?"

"I just feel like you're always judging me." Jacen sulked.

"I'm not. Jacen I'm your father." Han implored. "And I love you more than a man...more than _this_ man at any rate...has a right to love someone. You, your sister, your brother, your Mom, you all mean everything to me. Without any of you, I'm just that 'washed up worthless piss-head' from back when Chewie died."

Jacen considered his father's words, their honesty and earnest delivery.

"You promise no wise cracks?" Jacen begged.

"Cross my heart." Han demonstrated with a finger. "But _you_ gotta be straight with me. No dancing on eggshells because of what you think I might be thinking."

"Cross my heart." Jacen replied with a soft smile and another demonstration.

"You wanna build your hut again?" Han asked, trying his best to hide his disdain.

"Nah." Jacen blushed a little. "It was a dumb idea."

"See, there's progress right there. We agree on something." Han winked at his son as he retook his chair.

Jacen sat, shuffled until he was comfortable then he began. "I'm not very confident around women. Tenel Ka was about the first female to not seem to care about that. The fact that her father disapproved just seemed to spur her on and, I guess, it felt pretty exciting to me too. But little by little it became clear we really weren't actually meant to be together. For one, she..er..she liked sex a certain way."

"A certain way?" Han asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"She didn't like a lot of..um..you know...preparation." Jacen said, fighting to keep the blush from his cheeks.

"Dry humper huh?" Han nodded and clicked his teeth. "That's gotta hurt."

"Tell me about it!" Jacen said, rolling his eyes. "Plus, she liked me to do it from behind."

"A back door dry humper." Han noted. "You're well rid of her son."

"Didn't feel like that at first." Jacen sighed. "I figured we were gonna set the world alight. Then, Isolder took her into hiding and it just made me want her more."

"Was she your first?" Han queried. Jacen nodded, unable to meet his father's questioning gaze. "You never forget your first." Han said, changing the subject. "So. The baby."

"Tenel Ka came to my room after the Wedding to tell me." Jacen explained. "She'd already made it clear that she was going ahead with the marriage. Said Lang was a 'good man' and, I guess, he was what Isolder wanted for her. They'd had sex, but I suppose that was because she needed an explanation for the pregnancy. Turns out, he has his own sexual preferences that Tenel Ka would struggle to fulfil. As her pregnancy progressed, she grew more and more concerned for how the baby would have to live it's life. Then when it was confirmed as a girl, she decided she really didn't want her child to live the way she had. Or face the same future."

"She couldn't just wriggle outta the marriage?" Han asked. "I mean, illegitimate child could surely be grounds for divorce especially in Royal circles."

"The negotiations were weighted heavily in Lang's direction. If she left, she'd leave with nothing. She'd be disgraced. No self-respecting suitor would want her or her bastard child and the Hapes Consortium could lose a lot of support, not to mention trading partners." Jacen answered.

"And Isolder wouldn't like that at all." Han noted.

"Lang won't be at the birth. The nursemaid will take the baby, pronounce her dead and wrap her for immediate cremation. She doesn't want to see the baby or to touch it. She wants no further part in her nurturing." Jacen assured his father.

"And how does Tilly fit in the picture?" Han asked, noting again how his son's demeanour changed at the mention of her name.

"She spotted me skulking about by the waste; it's amazing how good half-eaten scraps taste when you're hungry." Jacen recalled. "She took me in, made me clean up and then we talked. She's a really great girl Dad. Really great. Kind. Considerate. Non-judgemental."

"She's a peach. I get it." Han interrupted. "So how come you looked like you'd spent a month in the dumpster you'd been foraging in when you arrived on our doorstep?"

"I was on my way back when I got waylaid. There was some 'stuff' he said I'd ordered. Before I could argue with him, he had the stuff up my nose and his hands diggin' in my pockets for loose change." Jacen said.

"How much do you owe?" Han asked.

"I'll sort it out Dad." Jacen insisted.

"How much?" Han demanded, enunciating each word slowly.

"Couple of hundred." Jacen replied apologetically.

Han tossed Jacen a credit chip. "Call it a loan. And don't you even _think_ about getting more o' that stuff. Your Mom'd kill me!"

"Truth is, I really don't get the appeal. I mean, for the briefest time there's this rush of adrenaline but when the euphoria's gone there's just...nothing!" Jacen said.

"Maybe you should go teach rehab." Han suggested. "Which brings me to what you're gonna do when you get the baby home."

"Well, first I gotta get a job." Jacen said.

"You've got one, flyin' the Falcon." Han told him. "At least until you've worked out what it is you _do_ want."

"Thing is..." Jacen said, while chewing his lip the same way his mother did. "I already know."

Han felt his insides flip.

"Why do I have a feeling a couple o' hundred aint gonna cover this?" Han queried.

"It's not nearly as bad as it first sounds." Jacen shuffled in his chair, getting comfortable again as he sat forward to explain. "Tilly and I, we talked a lot about the future and what we'd really like is to open our own tapcafe."

"You got any idea about running a tapcafe Son?" Han asked, curiously.

"I know how to run a business. I know all about profit and loss. I understand customer service. I..." Jacen ticked his reasoning off on his fingers.

"Okay, okay." Han waved a hand in the air. "So you're experienced in the generic requirements of running a business. But what do you know about tapcafes _specifically_?"

"I know people want good blends of caf and lots of choice. They want comfortable surroundings and great service. Quality food, fresh products and fair prices." Jacen ticked his answers on his fingers again.

"Okay, okay."' Han waved his hand again, a wry smile on his lips. "So you've given it a little bit of thought."

"I didn't say it would be easy Dad. I know it's hard starting a business from scratch. But Tilly and me, we believe with the right backing we could make a real go of it." Jacen added.

"Next you'll be telling me you want to call it '_Leia's_'!" Han teased.

"'_Leia's_'..." Jacen smiled as he let the name roll around his head.

"Okay, okay." Han waved his hand a further time. "You had me at opening a tapcafe. So, the next question is, how can we help? You need money, right?"

Jacen retreated into the chair's cushions nervously. "I need a good business plan if I'm going to get a legitimate loan to fund a cafe."

"Hmm. Never actually wrote an actual business plan before kid. Funded pretty much all of my exploits from sabbac and smuggling." Han said, scratching his chin before dropping into his casual grin. "I bet your Mom knows a thing or two about 'em though."

"Then there's the baby..." Jacen started, again chewing his lip.

Han had a sneaking feeling he knew where this was headed.

"Your Mom an' me, we have enough trouble keeping up with Jorj an' we only got him three nights a week!" Han's gravelly voice intoned.

"Oh...no! I'm not suggesting you and Mom take her. She's my responsibility, I know that. But, when I bring her back, I'll need to get her registered with me as her father..." Jacen licked his lips. "And Tilly as her birth mother."

"Tilly?" Han queried, eyebrows raised.

"No one need ever know." Jacen said, shaking his head.

"Your daughter needs to know. Might not matter much now, but when she's older..." Han advised, shaking his head too.

"So when she's older, we'll tell her." Jacen said defensively. His eyes flitted between his father and the floor a number of times.

"Whatever else it is, I'm not gonna like it am I?" Han asked solemnly.

"The plan..." Jacen started.

"Such as it is." Han interjected.

"The plan works best the fewer people know the truth." Jacen said.

"Ahuh." Han commented, already sure he knew what was coming next.

"So...we need _you_ to be the only one to know." Jacen concluded. "As far as Mom and Jaina and Jorj knows, Tilly never knew she was pregnant. The baby came in the middle of night, shocked us both, but we're resigned to being responsible parents and starting our own business is just an extension of that responsibility."

"You want me to lie to your Mother? After everything we've been through? After all the weeks of pointless yaada-yaada-yaada with that Counsellor she insisted we see to rebuild trust, you want me to break the promise we made to be honest with one another?" Han asked.

"Sounds a whole lot worse when you put it like that." Jacen sulked.

"No Son." Han sighed. "What's worse is I'm prepared to do it."

"You are?" Jacen gasped.

"But!" Han growled, pointing a long index finger at his son. "You gotta tell the kid the truth sometime and when you do, you tell your Mom an' me like I aint never heard the story before. You got that?"

"Sir." Jacen nodded and grinned, his face contorting into a fair imitation of his father's.

"And you treat her right kid." Han added. "That's your blood running in her veins, that means it's your Mom and my blood too. So...you...you just treat her right, ya hear me?"

"I hear you Sir." Jacen confirmed, his grin still as broad.

"Now." Han shuffled uncomfortably, though whether that was his aching joints or discomfort in his rare display of emotions was unclear. "I'm dying for a decent nerf steak. Your Mom's got me on this low-fat, no-red-meat, tasteless, colourless diet that's supposed to extend my life by about a hundred years. Okay, so it's only about ten years, but it'll feel like a hundred eating the crud she keeps putting in front of me. What say we break outta here, go pick up your girl and get ourselves a celebratory meal someplace cheap but good?"

"Sounds great." Jacen's grin broadened even further, if that was possible.

"Maybe we could pay off that debt while we're out too." Han suggested.

"I love you Dad." Jacen said simply.

"I love you too Jacen." Han replied.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

The following afternoon, having talked further, Jacen agreed to go with his father to finally meet his niece for the first time.

Han grinned as Jaina answered the door. "Hi honey."

"Oh great!" Jaina exclaimed grumpily, eyeing first her father then her brother. "More visitors."

"Good to see you too." Han muttered and ushered Jacen into the apartment ahead of him.

"Didn't I say this was a bad idea?" Jacen grunted through gritted teeth.

"Jacen! Sweetheart." Leia was immediately by her son's side, hugging him warmly. "Everything all right? You know, are you feeling...okay?"

"You'll have to excuse the mess." Jaina waved a hand at the living area. "The Fel's only just left and Jorj is being a monster."

"Jaina!" Leia hissed.

"What's wrong Jorjie?" Han asked of the small boy, sat with his arms crossed and his face set in a deep, dark pout.

"It's a girl!" Jorj sulked.

Han tried to hide his amusement as he agreed. "Well, sure she is. But girls aren't all that bad."

Jorj's scowl and pout remained unchanged when he glanced up at his father.

"I mean, your Mom's a girl and she's okay isn't she?" Han queried, watching Jorj look at Leia then back at his father. "And Jaina's a girl. And Miss Fizz is a girl."

Han let the words hang and noticed that the darkness seemed to slowly lift from Jorj's face.

"That really my little niece?" Jacen asked, looking down at the tiny sleeping baby wrapped in a soft cream blanket. "She's beautiful Jaina!"

"Yeah." Jaina said, sounding far from convinced. "I'll try to remember that at three in the morning when she's screaming for her feed."

"Can I hold her?" Jacen questioned.

"Why not. Everybody else has." Jaina grumbled and headed into the kitchen.

"She's...tired." Jag explained. "Won't...let...me...help."

"She won't let any of us help." Leia commented.

"I can't believe how beautiful she is." Jacen said, cradling the baby tenderly.

Jaina meanwhile nursed her growing tension headache, standing over a tray full of dirty crockery, eyes closed.

"Your Mom thinks you're struggling." Han's gravelly voice broke through Jaina's solitude.

"I'm not." Jaina denied, opening her eyes and pushing herself toward the caf machine.

"It's not an easy adjustment. Bringing your baby home for the first time." Han said.

"_My_ baby!" Jaina scoffed. "You know, the only time I get to pick her up is when she needs changing or feeding. Jorj wants to play with her; Mom wants to soothe her; Jag wants to love her and now Syal..."

Jaina cursed as a mug slipped from her grasp and bounced across the kitchen floor.

"S'All right, I just dropped a cup." She called, adding under her breath. "_Another_ cup."

Han reached the cup before Jaina did, placing it out of harms way.

"Syal's got you worked up like this?" He asked.

"She feels slighted because we decided to call the baby Lei and with Mom and Jorj here, she feels she's been deliberately excluded." Jaina managed finally to meet her father's eyes. "So when Jorj goes back to school and Mom goes back home, she's decided she's moving in. For a couple of weeks. A month tops, she said."

"Maybe I should leave your Mom here too, to referee." Han offered with a smile.

Jaina laughed.

"Maybe you should. I think she winds Mom up nearly as much as she does me." Jaina said, passing her father to look out at the throng admiring her baby daughter.

"It's an exciting time for everyone Jaina. A new baby, new life. It's like a renewal in the belief for the future." Han said, remembering all too well his own baby girl's birth.

"What future?" Jaina mumbled.

"Okay!" Han crossed to stand before his daughter and tug her into his arms. "First off, I'm gonna order us all take-out for dinner."

"Daad!" Jaina complained, but letting herself be comforted by his big, strong arms.

"Then..." He went on. "I'm gonna get this kitchen looking like it might actually pass a health inspection."

"It's not _that_ bad." She complained, eyeing the appalling state of her kitchen.

"Then..." He persisted. "You and the moon-jockey are gonna go lie on your bed with your baby daughter in between you and get to know her like parents are supposed to while your Mom and I and Jorj and Jacen clean up. And then..."

"Ice cream?" She grinned up at her father, recalling the times he'd added 'ice cream' to a list of duties just to check the twins had been listening.

"Then..." He repeated, tickling the end of her nose with his fingertip. "We're gonna call Syal Fel and tell her you've got...I dunno...cramps or something. That's sure to put her off staying so you and the moon-jockey can start being a family."

"We already are a family Dad. It's just that sometimes I forget how lucky I am to be a part of it." She said, smiling and snuggling against her father's chest.

"You're going to be okay you know. We all are. Solo's, well, we just have to work a little bit harder at it than most other people." He advised.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Resisting the overpowering urge to order nerf, Han sent out for Bilbringi food. The meat filled pastries sent Leia's eyebrow's skyward, though Han managed to placate her explaining it away as comfort food.

Everyone enjoyed it and Han finally got to hold his Grand-daughter.  
Leia smiled as she watched him rock Lei gently in his arms, whispering a Corellian lullaby until the babe started nuzzling toward Han's chest.  
Then he handed her, reluctantly, to her mother stating. "What she wants, I can't give her."

"Jorj, you wanna come watch?" Jaina asked.

Jorj looked to his mother for approval which was granted with a nod. Then Jaina and Jag, with Jorj following, exited to the bedroom to feed the increasingly restless infant.

"I think when Jaina's done we should all go home outta their way." Han suggested.

"All of us?" Leia queried, glancing quickly in Jacen's direction.

"It's okay Mom, the nut-job's gotten over himself!" Jacen said, rolling his eyes.

"Jacen, I didn't mean..." She started.

"Yes you did. And it's okay, you were right to be worried." Jacen assured her, clamping a hand on his father's shoulder. "But Dad an' me, we talked a lot about stuff. And, I'm not saying I don't still have my hangups, but I'm not sleeping under the sofa any more either."

"Jacen wants to open a tea shop." Han said with mock sarcasm.

"A tapcafe." Jacen corrected. "With Tilly."

"Tilly?" Leia questioned. "You two still...seeing...one another?"

"Has been all along." Han told her. "While you were worried outta your beautiful little mind, the lothario here was getting his kicks down on street 66."

"Daaad!" Jacen blushed furiously.

"You and she are...together, then?" Leia asked, curiously. "A couple?"

"And talking about their futures. Together. As a couple." Han answered approvingly.

"You're...happy?" Leia queried, throwing a scowl at Han. "And I'm asking Jacen."

"Yes. We're happy." Jacen's soft smile added conviction to his words. "In fact...I was thinking of asking Tilly to marry me."

"You what?" Han and Leia exclaimed together.

"The more I think about it, the more it feels like the right thing to do." Jacen said. "Partners in business and partners in life."

Leia's questioning look to Han was answered by his own puzzled expression. This was clearly not some of the 'stuff' they had talked about.

"Is it what Tilly wants?" Leia asked, clarifying. "I just mean, she spent so many years as a servant to that old couple. Her recent taste of freedom might have given her an appetite to experience even more."

"If she says 'no' then I'll know the time isn't right for her." Jacen shrugged. "But I won't know, unless I ask."

"Mama, Mama!" Jorj's race back into the living room ended the discussion before anything more could be said. The boy's eyes were wide with wonder. "You should see how Lei eats her dinner!"

"Yeah. You should see where it goes after that." Jacen mumbled with a snigger.

"Mama, can we _please_ have a baby just like Lei?" Jorj begged.

"Oh Jorjie. Mama's sorry, but there isn't going to be a baby brother or sister for you." Leia shook her head sadly, lovingly caressing the boy's hair at the nape of his neck.

Jorj's bottom lip sank visibly.

"It's not all bad Jorj." Jacen advised with a grin. "It means _you_ get to ride your big brother's shoulders all the way home."

"_Can_ I Papa?" Jorj squealed.

"Hey! What's with all the noise? I gotta new baby trying to sleep next door." Jaina chided, unsuccessfully hiding her smile as she returned to the living room. "Jag's just settling her. Anyone want more caf?"

"We're gonna go get outta your hair." Han said, rising, Leia and Jacen following.

"You don't have to go." Jaina reassured them, unsuccessfully hiding her relief.

"Yes. We do." Han confirmed, stepping aside to allow Jacen to hug and congratulate his sister. Then Leia to hold, congratulate and thank Jaina for her hospitality. And Jorj to just about peck Jaina's cheek and say goodnight before Han could embrace her and rock her in his arms.

"Remember what I said. Tell Jag to call Syal about your cramps." Han winked at Jaina. "Cramps does it every time."

"Thanks Dad." Jaina smiled back up at her father, embraced one more time and waved them off before heading into the bedroom.

Jag was already in bed with Lei beside him.

"Just you, me and the little one." Jaina said, easing onto the bed to sit with Lei between them.

Jag drew Jaina's hand to his lips and kissed it. Despite all the bacta treatments and all the reconstructive surgery, Jag's lips still felt cold to Jaina. She tried not to let the feeling show. She tried even harder not to let her feelings show when a moment later, he drew her hand beneath the bedcovers to his groin.

"Jagged! Is that..." Jaina started, slightly aghast.

"Popped...up...when...you...were...feeding...Lei. S'why...I...didn't...come...see...everybody...off!" He explained.

Jaina couldn't hold back any longer, her laughter mixed with her tears.

"Dad said we'd be all right." She said, wiping at her moist eyes. "He said Solo's just have to work a little harder at it than most."

Jagged Fel laid back, closed his eyes and revelled in the feel of his wife's soft hand around his aching erection.

"I...can...do..._hard_..." He hissed with amusement at his own satisfaction.


	2. Chapter 2

Leia had ceased brushing her hair with any real purpose at least fifteen standard minutes earlier, though to Han's entertainment she continued to sweep a relentless path through her tresses. 

They had spent the remainder of their weekend trying to coax Jorj away from the subject of where babies came from until Leia had finally explained that it was Papa who placed magic baby dust in Mama's tummy which then grew into a baby.  
Fortunately that was enough for Jorj at this stage in his development. The process of child birth therefore would wait for another day.

Having packed the boy off to school for another week, Jacen had announced he wanted to return to his own apartment and to undertake some research into his tapcafe business.  
Thus, Han and Leia had returned to their bedroom to indulge in what had become their weekly routine of physical rediscovery.

"Keep that up Princess and you're gonna develop a bald patch." Han told her around a snigger.

"Hmm?" Leia asked, startled from her reverie.

"C'mere." Han turned the covers back and patted the bed beside him.

Leia sighed and tidied her hair essentials away before distractedly joining Han.

"Of course if it's too much trouble..." He grumbled.

"Aren't you even a little concerned?" Leia queried. "And don't tell me I'm coddling him again."

"He's entitled to make his own mistakes Ley." Han said

"He's just so eager to give his heart!" She moaned, then narrowed her eyes. "And what's _that_ look for?"

"Must have inherited that trait from you." Han slid an arm around Leia's shoulders, pulling her down to his chest. "Listen, Jacen's done a lot of thinking over the past six months. You know, it took a lot of courage for him to tell me he didn't want to run the business any more."

"Precisely my point." Leia persisted, pushing back from Han. "Since when did he have an interest in tapcafes? Other than occasionally drinking in them I mean. Tilly turns up and suddenly he's an expert barista!"

"You sure you're not just jealous?" Han queried with a laugh.

"He's my Son, I love him and I want the best for him. I won't apologise for that." She argued angrily.

"Who's to say Tilly's not what's best for him?" Han countered.

"I'm not saying she isn't." Leia replied, scowling.

"Then where's the problem?" He chuckled. "Okay, so in the short-term I guess I'm gonna have to pick up most of the runs myself."

"Han!" Leia complained, her head dipping to one side. It wasn't just that she'd miss their time together. They were both increasingly aware that the years ahead were going to be shorter than the one's behind and had resolved to make the very best of those they had together.

"Short-term." Han repeated pointedly.

"And long-term?" Leia asked.

"Been thinking about that." He said, edging close enough to be able to slide her down beneath him. "Truth is, the Falcon's more patchwork now than original. Not that I'd ever retire her. I mean, it'd be like trading _you_ in for a younger model."

"Younger model huh?" She said, hiding her smile behind an arched eyebrow.

"Yeah." He grinned lasciviously, a hand coasting the length of her thigh to pause against her hip. "I know all her little ways. How she likes to be handled. How she likes _me_ to handle her."

"So, if you're not about to put her out to pasture, what are you thinking of doing with her?" Leia breathed.

"There's this guy I know other side of the outer rim. Kind of an expert when it comes to Why Tee Thirteen Hundreds." He held her gaze while the pad of his thumb skimmed across her abdomen. It made her shiver, and Han liked that. "He has a way with her too. Not as skilful as me but, in his own way, not bad."

"You'd let another man ride the love of your life?" She asked.

"_Ride_ her? Hell no!" She wasn't wearing panties! Han loved how Leia could make such a small, seemingly insignificant gesture feel exciting. "But she's in need of a thorough overhaul. I figured we could ride out there together and while he strips her down to the bare essentials we could maybe, you know, try that out too. On each other."

"Do you wish I'd had more experience when we met?" Leia queried.

"Where in the Force did that come from?" Han laughed.

"I don't know. I guess it's something I've often wondered but only just got around to asking you about." Leia answered honestly.

"You know, that innocence was one of your most endearing qualities. Most of the women I'd been with previously either knew exactly what they expected from me or didn't give a damn so long as the credits exceeded their efforts. But you..." He exhaled and smiled. "You were a breath of fresh air. I could just never fathom why it took you so long to admit your feelings for me."

"I'd have thought that was obvious!" She stated, slipping a hand into his sleep shirt to caress a nipple the way he liked. "I'd lost _everyone_. Family, friends, colleagues, my whole world."

He shifted, the warmth of her hand alighting a fire within.

"I get that. But none of those people, your family especially, would have wanted you to mourn them forever. And be honest, I was _one helluva_ distraction!" He grinned.

"There was also Luke to consider. His feelings for me were kind of obvious, even without the unknown twin connection." She pointed out.

"Yeah...you and the kid." He scoffed. "That was never going to happen."

"I kissed him." She reminded him.

"To make _me_ jealous." He reminded her.

"I still had to reconcile my feelings." She said defensively. "Ironically, it was Luke who helped me do that."

"You never did tell me what you two got upto while I was hanging on Jabba's wall." Han said, feeling foolish for his jealousy.

He had a childish, possessive, jealous streak where Leia was concerned. It had caused issues between them in the past but she was not about to let it do the same to their future.  
In a fluid motion, she swung herself up to straddle his stomach, her fingers deftly un-slipping the ties on his sleep shirt.

"Luke was pretty messed up during that time too. Mentally _and_ physically." She explained, parting his shirt to expose his chest to her. "Mentally, he'd just found out Vader was his father and I think you can imagine how much of a shock that must have been. And physically, he'd just lost his hand to the beast calling himself his father. Imagine how that must have affected him also."

Han appeared to consider the revelation anew.

"First thing they did when we got back to the fleet was stabilise his wound." Her thumbs were on his nipples again, teasing them erect. "I knew enough triage to be able to dress the original injury but not enough to assess nerve or tendon damage." His hands had returned to her thighs, travelling slowly north toward her ribcage. "I insisted I stay with him. I knew they'd want to examine me, assure themselves that I hadn't been physically abused." Leia remembered the angry exchange between herself and Mon Mothma.

…_.. "Isn't my word enough?" Leia angrily snapped._

"_Under these circumstances, no it isn't. Because if I may say so, you're behaving very erratically." Mon Mothma retorted._

"_Look at Luke! Just look at him!" Leia threw an arm toward a clearly confused Luke. "He's lucky it was only his hand!"_

"_Oh yes!" C3PO less than helpfully added. "And poor Captain Solo, given away to that dreadful bounty hunter."_

_Leia's reaction to Han's name peaked Mon Mothma's interest._

"_You were missing a very long time." The older woman observed, her tone softening. "Did he hurt you my child? Take advantage of you? Force himself upon you?"_

"_No!" Leia cried. "No, of course not! Han's not like that. He's kind and he's gentle and he's..."_

_Leia realised where her thoughts and her words were taking her. It was somewhere her commitment to duty could not allow her to go at the present time.  
Mon Mothma could also see more clearly the path her unofficial ward's heart hoped to follow._

"_Well something happened out there." Mon Mothma declared. "And you have a duty to report it."_

_Mon Mothma swept out of the medical bay, leaving Leia to close her eyes and force the anger she felt to subside along with the tears she refused to shed._

_It was Luke who broke the silence._

"_You're in love with him." Luke stated quietly._

_He'd been watching her throughout her exchange with Mon Mothma, had heard the quickening beat of her heart at Han's name, had felt her deep sense of outrage...and of loss...and of love._

"_No!" Leia turned to him, desperately trying to deny the painfully obvious. She faltered, realising she couldn't lie, not to Luke and not to herself. Not any more. "I didn't mean to fall in love. Not with anyone, but especially not with Han."_

"_It's okay." Luke assured her with a soft smile. "Han's a great guy. A really great guy. And he's always looking out for you, even when you don't realise he is."_

"_But..." She started, not really sure what she was going to say next._

"_Hey! Han's got a lot of friends in the Alliance. Why I bet there's a half dozen petitions to rescue him on Rieekan's desk already." Luke's soft smile had warmed Leia's heart. "I still hope to complete my training some day, but I'd be in on any rescue mission too. You know that, right?"_

_He was giving her his 'out'. They could remain friends, but his path lay along a different one to hers. It always would. Though not, perhaps, for the reasons Leia had at that time thought. _…..

"I didn't know then what he must have been thinking. That the son of Darth Vader could never presume to be more than at best a 'friend' to a Leader in the Alliance to Restore the Republic." She was leaning into Han's chest. That way, he couldn't see how distressed she had been at Mon Mothma's assumptions.

He stroked her hair, kissed the top of her head, knowing how painful that time must have been for her.

"You know, we haven't had Luke or Ben over for dinner in months." He said, trying to recall the last time they all sat down together. "Not since..."

"Mara." Leia answered for him. She pushed herself upright to kneel beside him. "Not since before Mara and the baby died. He's been...I don't know...different since then."

"Yeah. Losing her sure hit him hard." Han sighed.

"Losing someone you love can do that to you." Leia guided his face to look at hers. "Don't ever leave me. Promise me when it's your time, we'll go together."

Han chuckled softly and pushed himself upright.

"I aint going nowhere! So you can get that thought outta that pretty little head of yours." He winked at her.

"We haven't made love." She smiled. "But I like that we've talked. Sometimes, I feel like we don't share enough of each other. In a non-physical way I mean."

"I'm going for a pee." He leaned forward to kiss the tip of her nose. "And when I get back, I'm gonna discuss the merits of physical versus non-physical communication."

Leia laughed as she watched his hips sway to the 'fresher.  
Hearing the splash of water, she decided she'd put in a call to Yavin IV. She didn't expect Luke to answer, but it would be good to let him know they were thinking of him. She was surprised therefore when he received her call immediately. He looked tired, gaunt, not that she could tell him that. They chatted amicably while Leia listened to the cycle of the sanitation unit and the splash of water as Han washed his hands.

"Hey kid!" Han called over Leia's shoulder, his lips curling into his usual smile. "Howya doin'?"

"Good." Luke replied, unconvincingly. "Pretty good."

"Great. Come to dinner. Come soon. 'Cos you look like you need a good feed insida ya!" Han told him, kissing Leia's cheek as their door announcer indicated a visitor. "I'll go get that."

"Han shouldn't have said that." Leia smiled as she shook her head. "Although the dinner invitation stands."

Luke promised to check his schedule while Han, stood at the apartment door, and planted his hands on his hips.

"Why Officer Chote, this is an unexpected pleasure." Han said, sounding less than pleased.

"There was a reporter outside. Moved him on." Chote intoned. "Wanted me to be sure to give you this though. Suggested you contact him with any comment."

Han accepted the globe, thumbed it on to a headline grainy picture of Leia that morning at the mini mart appearing to select a hair colourant.

"So my wife went shopping. Must be a slow news day." Han thumbed the globe back off.

"Your wife home?" Chote queried, peering into the apartment.

Han side-stepped, blocking his view. "Maybe."

"You think _maybe_ we could have a word?" Chote asked, pointedly.

Han had a deep disrespect for all things legal and when a representative of the constabulary turned up on his doorstep he immediately suspected it meant trouble, specifically for him.

"We were kind of in the middle of something." Han said, hitching his thumbs into the rear of his pants.

"I'm afraid, I really must insist." Chote didn't wait for the offer, shouldering his way past Han, a young female officer following in his wake.

"Hon!" Han shouted. "Think you need to get out here!"

After a few minutes, Leia appeared dressed in a light shirt and pants. Her eyes flitted between the two seated officers.

"Leia, this is Officer Chote." Han indicated the man before turning to his colleague. "And this is Venda. She's from Family Liaison."

Everyone knew why a family liaison officer attended alongside regular law enforcement. They were there to prepare a family for every eventuality. And for comfort should the eventuality prove too painful to bear alone. The title itself was enough to force Leia to sink onto the edge of a sofa, Han sitting beside her.

"Is this regarding an ongoing investigation?" Leia asked.

"No Ma'am, I'm sorry, this isn't about the attacks on your daughter or your son-in-law." Officer Chote reported.

"Something new then." Leia commented, the words sounding as hollow as they felt.

"There's no easy way to say this." Chote began. "You have a young Son I understand."

"Jorj." Leia breathed.

"He attends a residential school here on Coruscant?" Chote asked rhetorically.

"He's home weekends." Leia said weakly. "Please. Just tell us what's happened."

"We're still establishing the full facts." Chote told them. "From an investigatory point of view, this is still in it's infancy."

"Officer!" Han growled menacingly.

"Your Son seems to have disappeared." Venda offered. "His class was given leave to break. He and his friends had gone into the grounds to play when it would seem Jorj just walked out of the school gates."

"No. You're mistaken." Leia insisted. "Jorj loves that school. He wouldn't just up and walk out of it."

Officer Chote pulled a small handheld padd from his jacket, programmed the appropriate recording and handed it to the couple.

"School recording devices tracked him as he left." Chote said.

"No." Leia shook her head despite the proof before her. "This can't be right."

"We have to ask, was everything all right with your Son before school this morning?" Chote asked.

"Everything was fine." Leia thrust the padd back at the Officer.

"No...arguments? Disagreements? Nothing out of the ordinary?" He queried.

"We took him to school ourselves." Han intervened. "And everything was just fine."

Chote nodded. "Then I must also ask, is there anyone who might hold a grudge?"

"Oh my..." The rest of Leia's sentence was lost in Han's chest where she buried her head in anguish.

"I appreciate these are difficult considerations." Officer Chote elaborated. "But we will need a full list of all your associates. Business as well as personal."

"You know who we are...who we _were_..." Han raised his eyes skyward. "Our circle of friends is small as much by necessity as by choice. We trust each and every one of them with our lives. The lives of our children also."

"That's commendable. But even the closest of friends can be corrupted, using the right leverage." Venda said.

"That list would be a good place to start. If only to eliminate the innocent." Chote persisted.

"On the subject of 'elimination', access to Jorj's medical records would be a help too." Venda suggested. "DNA profile, specifically."

Han tightened his embrace around Leia's shoulders.

"I can sign for that." He agreed.

"He's only been missing a couple of hours." Leia stated, straightening as she calculated the time between them dropping Jorj at school, first period end and now. "How far could he have gotten?"

"On foot, a few blocks." Chote confirmed. "But, we can't be sure he's on foot."

"You think someone has our Son." Leia could sense it as strongly as if the man had said the same.

Chote glanced at Venda, then leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Recordings are made all over this District; all over Coruscant. They don't follow a person's every step but the margin between recordings is minimal. We have a team interviewing staff and students at your Son's school, while another is sifting through the recordings made around the school gates. We have him in school grounds and immediately outside of the gates. Then nothing."

"It may simply be that the appropriate recording hasn't yet been retrieved." Venda assured them.

"Or it could be that someone was waiting, in a blindspot, for the boy to appear." Chote continued.

"As you said, Captain Solo, we know who you both once were. We can't rule out abduction for financial gain any more than we can assume the boy simply decided to go walkabout on a sunny day." Venda added.

"I'll get you that list." Han offered, squeezed Leia's shoulders and rose to fetch his business accounts.

"Perhaps, Ma'am, you and I could gather some of Jorj's things." Venda smiled, reassuringly. "A favourite toy, holorecordings with the family. Some things which, if used in an appeal, might tug at the heartstrings."

"He has special needs." Leia said, superficially.

"We are aware of his circumstances." Chote responded.

"He'll be scared." Leia added, choking back her emotions. "He's very wary of strangers."

"All the more reason to find him. And soon." Chote's smile was marginally less encouraging than Venda's.

"I'll get his stuff." Leia rose unsteadily, her gaze falling on Venda. "May I ask, what is your success rate?"

"Above average." Venda replied, rising also. "I'll come with you."

Leia led the way to Jorj's small, but functional bedroom, feeling the need to apologise for it's simplicity.

"We hadn't expected to have any more children." She said. "Jorj was a bit of a shock to say the least. A pleasant one, but a shock just the same."

Her hands roamed over his pile of books, collection of stuffed toys, his rocks. All had a special meaning to Jorj which neither she nor Han could completely comprehend. Then she looked to his bed, made as though he had never even slept in it. Jorj straightened the corners to the nth degree. Careful not to dislodge his arrangement, she plucked a furry Wookiee placed with love and tenderness beneath the covers.

"This is his favourite." Leia smiled and breathed in the plaything's scent. "He said he could smell his father on it, and you can. If you know what to look for. Han's co-pilot was a Wookiee, though he died before Jorj was even conceived." She fingered the homemade bandolier that so resembled Chewbacca's. "I suspect my husband might have been overly fond of the toy too. He was very close to Chewie."

"Chewie? Oh, the co-pilot." Venda guessed.

"How long do we have?" Leia asked.

"However long you need to take." Venda replied softly.

"No. I mean...before..." Leia prompted.

"Oh! I see." Venda understood. "It's not an exact science, but generally runaways are located within the first twenty-four hours. Usually, in fact, the first two to three would be considered the norm."

"And abductees?" Leia queried.

"Less than three days would be considered a result." Venda answered. "But a more protracted investigation is generally expected."

"Three days!" Leia exclaimed. "He'll be terrified!"

"Leia." Han interrupted from the doorway, indicating she should follow him into the hallway.

"What is it?" Leia's big eyes blinked up at him.

"Chote's heard from the school." He told her. "Turns out a couple of the boys were teasing Jorj over Lei. They told him because we'd got a 'perfect' new baby, we wouldn't want our 'imperfect' child any more."

Leia closed her eyes and exhaled.

"Why would they do that! Why would they tease him that way?" She pleaded.

"Because they're kids and they don't know the power their words can have." He said. "Chote's confident we're looking at a runaway. He's also confident that narrows the search area."

Leia slipped into Han's waiting arms, feeling at least some of her tension subside.

"He'll be home by dinner." Han assured her, hugging tightly.

Venda observed them from the bedroom doorway, her eyes warned to exercise caution. Han caught the look but made no comment. His concern was for his wife.

He had chosen not to mention Chote's notion that runaways were notoriously difficult to track. Nor that at least a kidnapping for ransom meant their child's life was in no immediate danger. As it was, Jorj was just another street statistic and Han knew from bitter experience how very hard life on the streets would be. No matter how temporary the situation.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Officer Chote had left Venda in her role as Family Liaison while he continued to investigate the disappearance of six year old Jorj Bailey Solo.

Venda took her job seriously, vetting every call to the residence and only grudgingly allowing entry to Jaina and Jacen who stayed as long as they could and left only following an assurance that they would be kept fully informed.

Venda was less inclined to allow access to a further visitor until Han had angrily barked. "For Kriff Sake, they've known each other all of their lives!"

Winter Celchu hugged Leia warmly, whispering. "Who's the Stormtrooper?"

"Family Liaison." Leia replied.

"Ah." Winter rolled her eyes. "Makes sense now."

They sat, Han with his arm around Leia's shoulders, Winter in a self-conforming chair close by. Venda a discreet distance, glancing their way periodically. Afternoon had turned to dusk, dusk to night and still Jorj was not home.

"They've recommended we observe a media blackout. So we've no idea what's being reported out there." Leia said.

"Very wise." Winter agreed.

"What Leia means is, what _is_ being reported out there?" Han prompted.

Venda glared in Winter's direction.

"Nonsense mostly. A publicity stunt to get you back in the public eye and anything in between. Those who know you, know it's just the media frenzy. And those who don't will speculate anyway." Winter replied.

"I'd caution against listening to idle gossip." Venda announced.

"You'd caution against breathing too deeply." Han growled back.

"Han wanted to go out looking but we..." Leia glanced furtively at Venda. "...we were advised it might not be a good idea."

"Feels like I'm under house arrest for something I aint even done!" He grumbled.

"Excuse me, I need to take this." Venda pointed to her comlink and headed into the kitchen.

"Good riddance!" Han hissed.

"As you can see, Han's attitude toward authority figures hasn't changed." Leia commented.

"She's been quizzing us off an' on for hours!" He hooked a thumb in Venda's direction. "Every damn thing from who potty-trained him to who administers discipline. I'm telling you sweetheart, she thinks one of us abuses him. Probably me!"

"She's just doing her job Han." Leia sighed and curled her legs beneath her.

"I suppose they have to look at every angle." Winter added.

"Not that one they don't!" Han barked.

Leia squeezed Han's thigh reassuringly.

"I just want him home." She said quietly.

Han slid his hand around her cheek, the pad of his thumb caressing softly and, not for the first time, pressed his lips to the top of her head.

"How about some stim tea?" Winter asked, brightly. Not waiting for an answer, she pushed to her feet and made her way into the kitchen.

A frown creased Venda's brow and she ended her call promising to speak again shortly. Winter pointed toward a mug but Venda shook her head.

"They're good people, the Solo's." Winter said as she began preparing the tea things.

"Captain Solo has been bleating again about my line of questioning." Venda noted. "Some may think that a guilty conscience."

"Perhaps it's simply a little too close to home." Winter turned her back on Venda as she brewed the tea. "I have on more than one occasion heard him refer to his own father as a tyrant."

"Interesting." Venda commented. "Many believe we learn by example."

"Captain Solo is not one to follow convention." Winter suggested.

"His concerns are unfounded." Venda shook her head. "I find nothing here to indicate the Solo's are anything but a strong and loving family."

"Then why do you persist in interrogating him?" Winter queried, preparing to leave, her tray laden with drinks.

"Would you believe, I'm just making conversation?" Venda replied, smiling at the tray. "You know, I might have a half cup if there's enough."

Winter considered denying there was, but poured her a cup anyway.

Venda retrieved her comlink and flicked the switch.

"I need to call base." She said, adding. "Before you ask, it's another case I'm involved with. One without a happy ending."

Winter couldn't hear Han's words of soothing reassurance as she crossed back to the living area, but his tender caresses caught her eye and she couldn't help smile to herself. She had been so wrong about the brash scoundrel who had won her friend's heart. Maybe now was a good time to confess. Then again, she considered, no need to give him a big head!

"Here we are. Tea." Winter placed the tray on a low table and handed Han a glass. "Two fingers I think is your preferred measure."

Han accepted the Corellian Whiskey, it's pungent aroma tickling his nostrils. He held the glass up to the light. "You trying to get me drunk?"

"Call it a celebration." Winter sat, pouring two teas. "I've been talking to Venda and you're in the clear."

"Like I'd care what that..." He started.

"Han!" Leia admonished with a scowl and a shake of her head.

"Thanks." Han turned his smile on Winter.

"Stim tea Your Highness." Winter pressed a cup to Leia's hand. "Your favourite, sweet ginger."

Leia accepted the cup with a sad smile. "Winter, won't you _please_ call me Leia? I haven't been 'your highness' for years."

"Some might see you that way but to me you will always be Royalty." Winter sat back with her own cup of stim tea and added with a wry smile. "Your Highness."

Leia laughed and sipped her tea, the sweet ginger warming her insides.  
Han continued to hold her close and nuzzle her hair.  
Winter continued to watch them, comfortable in one another's company and embrace.

"Do you remember bringing him home?" Winter asked.

"Jorj?" Leia queried, looking up at Winter. "I remember how tiny he still was."

"Four months wasn't it? And he still looked like he shoulda been inside your belly." Han smiled.

"Preemies are always a little on the small side." Leia quoted, closed her eyes and inhaled the rich scent of her tea. "He fought so hard for life."

"Hey! He's gonna be just fine. We talked to him a thousand times about not getting overly friendly with strangers." He reminded her.

"But you and I both know all it would take is a kindly face or a small furry animal and all of those warnings will be forgotten." She argued, eyes blinking up at him. "He's wary at first but he can still trust too easily."

"Sure doesn't get that from you." He chided with a wink.

"I just don't understand!" Leia said, taking another sip of tea. "How it is that one of those pointless tabloid drones can track me around the mini mart looking at hair colourants and sanitary products, but they can't trace a small boy's movements after leaving school!"

"Remember when we took him to visit Lando and Tendra?" Han asked, settling back into the sofa.

"We went sailing over to that little island." Leia smiled at the memory. "I don't think I've ever seen his eyes so wide!"

"You shoulda been with him on the Falcon when he was puking, his eyes were pretty wide then too!" Han chuckled.

"You remember the camp we set up?" She queried. "He was so excited to be sleeping outdoors. And when he thought he'd discovered fairies?"

Han laughed.

"What were they?" Winter asked.

"Fireflies." Han and Leia answered at the same time.

They looked at one another, realising they were talking about him as if he was dead.

"You know something? We should do that again. Soon." Han said.

"Yes. We should." Leia agreed.

They fell silent, both enjoying their own thoughts as well as their drinks.  
Her cup empty, Leia placed it on the tray and curled herself against her husband.

"Venda's been gone a while." She noted, yawning.

"Something to do with another case she's involved with." Winter explained.

"Oh." Leia yawned again.

Han adjusted his position to better hold his wife.

"You always did have the best shoulder to lie on." She mumbled, her head growing heavy against Han's chest. "Might have another cup of tea in a minute."

"I think you've had enough, Your Highness." Winter laid her own untouched tea on the tray.

Han kissed Leia's forehead and looked over at Winter.

"You drugged her tea." He stated.

"Her Highness needed some rest." Winter replied, arching an eyebrow at him.

"Remind me never to piss you off." Han said.

"What makes you think you haven't?" Winter smiled. "I didn't drug _your_ drink."

"You should be ashamed." Han chided, with no real conviction to his voice.

"I have no regrets." Winter claimed. "Except perhaps for your Family Liaison. She initially declined a drink then changed her mind. I imagine she'll be asleep on your counter-top by now."

"Well I won't tell her if you don't." Han slipped his free arm beneath Leia's knees. "I'm gonna get her into bed. Don't go poisoning the fish tank while I'm gone."

Han carried Leia through to their bed, lying her gently against her pillow and covering her with a blanket.  
Her eyes fluttered and Han soothed her until she was settled, then he returned to the living area to find his glass had been freshened. He looked at it suspiciously.

"Your family liaison's out cold." Winter reported. "Still, I'm sure a couple of hours won't do her any more harm than it will your wife."

"I saw Leia go seventy-two hours straight during the Rebellion." Han said, taking a long swig from his glass.

"I saw her go eight-four, but she was barely functioning by the end." Winter countered.

"I hate this planet." Han leaned forward, swirling the glass between both hands. "I hate how claustrophobic it makes me feel. How stifling."

"Why don't you get away for a while?" Winter suggested to Han's amused stare. "_After_ all this is over I mean. When Jorj is home and safe and once the dust has settled."

"Don't think I haven't been considering it." He replied. "We made Coruscant our home because Leia's work necessitated it. She knew I'd hate it here. Even asked if this was what I really wanted. Waited until the very morning of our Wedding to ask it too!"

"I know. I was there helping her dress." Winter smiled. "Not many women would have borne the humiliation of being jilted on her Wedding Day as she would have done, had you decided not to go ahead with the ceremony."

"I didn't go ahead with it to spare her blushes!" Han pointed out. "I married her because I love her. And sometimes, love means giving up on your own dreams for somebody else's."

"Must have been a sad day for you, being forced to turn legit." Winter's wry smile teased Han.

"You think I wanted to be smuggler all my life?" He asked light-heartedly. "I got dreams, same as any regular guy."

"What? Like making love to two beautiful women at the same time?" She goaded.

Han laughed, hard.

"Been there. Done that." He grinned broadly. "An' it's a lot harder 'n you'd think!"

"I'll take your word for it." She said

"Nah! I wanted to be a racer." He confessed.

"Seriously?" Winter queried, amazed. "What happened after you hit puberty?"

Her jibe about childish pursuits was ignored.

"The speed. The adrenaline. The sheer Force of Nature!" Han then sighed. "The freedom."

"I'm sure Her Highness would have supported you." Winter offered.

"She had enough to contend with having the fate of the Galaxy resting in her tiny palms, without worrying about me splattering myself on an asteroid some place." Han shook his head. "Then the twins came along, and Anakin and we both had our hands full. But if things had been different. If I hadn't fallen in love with Leia...well, who knows?"

"You could become a Sponsor." Winter suggested, suppressing a grin. "The Han Solo Corellian Cup."

Han's eyes sparkled. "The Han Solo Kessel Challenge Cup." He grinned.

"You should follow your dream. Who knows what riches it might bring you." Winter said.

The possibilities were forming in Han's mind faster than he could process them.

He sat back, exhausted, and sighed. "I couldn't do it to her. Leia'd wanna stick around for Jaina and the baby. And Jacen needs us just as much right now. Then there's Jorj's schooling to consider. Not to mention the Falcon, man!, she needs a massive overhaul and that aint gonna be cheap."

"You're making excuses." Winter told him.

"I'm being realistic." He countered.

"You're making a mistake." She argued. "You're doing what you think is the right thing, the _honourable_ thing, for your wife. But trust me, she would never want you to do that. She'd want you to fulfil your ambitions."

Han swirled the remaining liquor in his glass.

"You know I'm right." Winter added, rising. "But I promised to be home when Tycho and Jarik got back."

"How's the kid doing?" Han asked, rising also.

"He's a complete joy." Winter smiled. "I can't tell you the pleasure he's brought us."

"I'm glad. You both deserve a half decent break." He escorted Winter to the door.

"Think about what I said Captain." Winter leaned up and kissed Han's cheek.

It was the first time, Han thought, she had ever shown him any affection.


	3. Chapter 3

Leia knew she was dreaming. It wasn't that she was under any delusion that she was anything but dreaming. But the experience was so exquisite she didn't want it to stop.  
She was dreaming of her wedding night, of kneeling on the floor at the foot of the bed she and Han would share that night.  
A simple white chemise ensured her modesty while her husband showed no such propriety.  
Sat behind her, legs open and stretched either side of her slim body, Han had been naked the whole time.

Curl after curl had fallen to her shoulders as her husband had carefully and tenderly removed each pin securing the twenty-four coloured jewels and precious gems interwoven into her hair.  
With the last one stored safely in it's carry case he had set about her braids, de-tangling them with his fingers before fingering her tresses straight.

His task completed, he had leaned in close to whisper. "Now what?"

"Now we may go to bed." She'd replied, her head turning toward his voice.

"Well about time!" His voice rumbled, low and soft and teasing.

"Lights to zero." Leia announced, pushing to her feet as the lighting dimmed to blackout.

She heard the rustle of bed linen where Han climbed into his side. Leia, meanwhile, took her time removing her chemise and placing it with the rest of her things on an ottoman before her small feet padded through thick carpet to the bed.

Han's eyes had adjusted to what little light filtered into the room and grinned as his now naked wife slipped under the covers beside him.

On Alderaan, the custom to enter their wedding chamber naked was to acknowledge that the couple entered into marriage with nothing but one another to be built upon during their future together.

His hand wafted somewhere across her midriff sending a shiver of anticipation through to her core. It wasn't long before their kisses became more urgent and Han encircled her with his arms, rolling onto his back and taking her with him. His fingers were in her hair and on her back and kneading her buttocks and her thighs. When he broke their kiss, holding her face above his, he was panting for breath.

Leia giggled, her mouth moving to kiss and nuzzle his neck and throat. Han's eyes rolled back in his head. There was a spot not many women managed to find, but when Leia's lips hit that spot he'd let her do just about anything to him. Except maybe take over. Han was not a man to have hangups over who took the dominant role in bed, but this was supposed to be Leia's night and he was not about to let her down.

Gripping her tightly, he rolled her over onto her back, careful not to crush her small frame beneath his and there they made love, twice, before falling asleep in a jumbled mass of arms and legs.

"Ley. Leia honey." Han shook her shoulder gently. "Sweetheart, I need you to wake up."

Leia rolled over, her slumbers and her intense dream broken.

"Wh..." She rubbed a hand across her face, wiping the sleep away. "I fell asleep. How could you let me fall asleep?"

"You were exhausted." Han explained softly.

Leia sat up, any feeling of fatigue completely gone.

"The tea. Winter put a sedative in my tea didn't she?" Leia asked.

"Very mild. And only because she knew you wouldn't rest without it." He assured her, his voice steady. "Honey, they've found him."

Leia paused, one foot about to slip into her previously discarded shoes.

"Is he..." She started.

"They're sending a car. It'll be in the underground lot in ten minutes. Venda's coming with us and there'll be someone to meet us there." Han explained.

"Meet us where?" She questioned.

"The Medical Centre. They took him straight to the Medical Centre." He answered. "I've called the kids and told them we'll update them when we can."

"But he _is_ okay?" She pressed.

"That's all I know. I swear." He replied, honestly.

"Would you just look at my hair, I look a complete fright!" She exclaimed, starting to brush it straight.

"You look beautiful. You always look beautiful." He said, trying to sound light-hearted.

"Are you kidding?" She brushed harder. "It's enough to scare the pants off of Jorj."

Han stepped in close to rub his hands up and down her arms.

"He's not gonna care what you look like sweetheart." Her stricken expression reflected in her dressing mirror gave him cause to reconsider his words. "What I mean is, he'll just be glad to see us, no matter what we look like."

"They wouldn't send a car if he wasn't...you know...all right, would they?" She queried, placing the brush down. "Wouldn't they prepare us for the worst first?"

"I don't know sweetheart. I guess. Yes." He agreed.

"Captain. Mrs Solo." Venda interrupted. "The car's waiting."

Leaning on one another for support, Han and Leia were escorted to the hovercar which sped through Coruscant's streets to the Medical Centre's private entrance, ensuring their anonymity.

"I'll just be a moment." Venda assured them, leaving the couple alone together in a stark, clinically oppressive side room.

"I hate these places!" Han stated. "The only time I've ever spent here was the worst in my life."

"Except for when the children were born." She suggested.

"Goes without saying." He agreed, an element of his usual bravado returning.

Leia slid into his waiting arms, needing their strength more than ever.

"You know what? When we get outta here, I am gonna take you and the little guy on the vacation of a lifetime!" He said.

"Han!" He felt her shake her head against his chest.

"No, I mean it. What's the point of having the fastest ship in the Galaxy if I don't put her through her paces from time to time." He kissed her forehead. "'Bout time I saw what she was made of. Might even have a crack at beating my own record for the Kessel Run."

The room's door opened admitting Venda and two associates, introduced as medical staff attempting to examine their son. Leia burst into tears, shaking with relief.

"He's behaving somewhat wildly! We could use some guidance on how to calm him." Venda said.

"He's not a great fan of hospitals." Han said, soothing Leia. "If he's running wild it's because you guys spooked him somehow."

"We need to take his clothing. He bit me!" One of the medics explained and thrust a hand at them.

"Why d'you need his clothes?" Han queried.

"For examination." The second medic replied. "And to allow us to check his body for signs of trauma."

"He won't undress in front of strangers. He just won't." Leia said.

"If you can't calm him, they may have no choice but to sedate him." Venda told them.

"He was very sick when he was born. All of his memories of hospitals involve being stripped and examined, usually before something painful happened to him." Leia offered. "He's just a small boy who's very frightened."

"Perhaps if you were with him. Your reassurance might help." Venda suggested.

"They'd have to suit up." The first medic said.

"Just what is it you're expecting to find on him?" Han growled.

"Hopefully nothing." Venda answered. "But, in the event he has been the victim of an assault our chances of catching the perpetrator are greatly increased if there's no cross-contamination of any evidence."

"You kidding?" Han barked. "I got two kids already who were 'victims of an assault'. You got more chance of catching a cold than you do of catching the criminals behind those."

"No case is ever closed." Venda assured Han.

"Could we _please_ just see our son?" Leia intervened.

They were provided with a sterile suit each and led to a medical examination cubicle where their son crouched in a corner, hissing at a droid that had him cornered.  
Against advice Leia raced into the cubicle, a swift kick knocking the droid out of her way, and scooped Jorj into her arms, kissing his face and repeating his name over and over.  
The boy's initial happiness was quickly tempered by the outpouring of emotion from his mother, which went repeatedly from unrestrained joy to grabbing him by the shoulders in anger and back to unrestrained joy.

"Let the kid breathe." Han admonished, his hand on Leia's shoulder.

"Don't you ever do that to Mama again, do you hear me Jorj Bailey Solo!" Leia howled again, before pulling him into her embrace once more and smothering his face in kisses.

"We were worried about ya buddy. Where'd you get to?" Han asked, tapping Leia's shoulder to stop.

"About." Jorj shrugged.

"About where?" Han dropped to his knees and reached out to cup his son's cheek. "That a bruise you got there son?"

"Maybe." Jorj shrugged again.

"Who..." Leia started, Han's tightening grip on her shoulder stopped her.

"Spoils of war huh?" Han grinned and pointed to the scar on his chin. "That's how I got this, fighting for your Mama's honour."

It was a lie and Leia knew it, but it was Han's way of getting their son to open up.

"For real?" Jorj queried, eyes wide.

"Well sure. There was this guy twice, maybe three times, bigger'n your Mama trying to get her to...you know...like her." He winked at Leia on the word 'like'. "I told him, didn't I honey, that if he didn't stop I'd have to do something about it."

"Whatcha do Papa?" Jorj asked.

"Well...I did something about it. Just like I said I would. An' I got this." He pointed again to his chin. "For my trouble."

"How did you get yours Jorj?" Leia asked softly.

Jorj averted his gaze and looked sheepish. "I fell when I was running away."

"Running away from what?" Leia pressed, avoiding the temptation to ask 'who' instead of 'what'.

"Laell and Jerom." Jorj answered.

"Are they the boys who were teasing you?" Leia asked.

"They called me a bad name." Jorj sulked.

"What name?" Leia queried. "It's all right to tell us, we won't be mad at you."

Jorj motioned for his father to come closer.

Han hunkered down, his ear next to Jorj's mouth.

"Pussy." Jorj whispered.

Han's wide grin had faded by the time he'd straightened.

"That _is_ a bad name Jorj. But it's no reason to run away from school." Han chided.

"They said you didn't want me no more. Not now you've got 'her'!" Jorj snivelled.

Neither Han nor Leia needed to ask who 'her' was.

"Well that's just dumb!" Han stated.

"Jorj, don't you know how much we love you?" Leia smiled. "Nobody could take your place in our hearts. Nobody."

"Do I gotta go back to school?" Jorj snivelled.

"You have to go to school Jorj, that's the law. But you don't have to go to _that_ school any more, not if you don't want to." Leia advised.

"I wanna go home." Jorj mumbled, pouting.

"Hey, you think you could help me with something sport?" Han nudged Jorj. "You see the thing is, since my accident I've been getting these aches and pains. Now I was kinda hoping to get one of those pretty young lady doctors to give me the once over, but all they've got available is those two lugs you had chasing around after you. So I was thinking, since they wanna check you over, maybe they could check us both out at the same time. Whadday say son, huh? You and me, hanging out together. Literally."

Leia smiled at Han, lovingly, then said to her son quietly. "You know what? I think your Papa really needs you to hold his hand through this one Jorj. So what do you say?"

"I guess." Jorj shrugged.

"I really need you pal." Han added, convincingly. "Those guys, they don't look like they warm their hands much."

Jorj giggled.

"I'll be just outside." Leia said, slowly releasing her hold on her son. She was relieved when he didn't try to cling. With a kiss to his temple, she swiftly left the cubicle.

Waiting for the examination to finish seemed to take forever. Venda did her best to keep Leia's spirits high, but even the ever patient ex-Chief of State was close to breaking point by the time Han finally emerged with Jorj tucked tightly to his hip.

"Let's go home." Han intoned.

"Captain..." Venda began, Han's expression and the raised finger silenced her.

"You want a statement, it'll have to wait." He growled. "Right now, I'm taking my wife and my son home."

Han didn't wait for Venda's approval, instead turning on his heel and marching toward the exit. Leia assured Venda she would get her statement in the morning before hurrying after Han.

Their cab ride home was conducted in silence, Jorj held securely and tenderly in his father's arms. His request for ice cream denied, the boy reluctantly ate soup and crackers before being bathed and laid gently in his bed, Han and Leia by his side until his soft snoring convinced them he was asleep.

"Thank the stars he's home and safe and unharmed." Leia said quietly, seated beside Han on their son's bedroom floor. "He wasn't harmed was he? You haven't said much since we left the med centre."

Han shuffled to lean his back against the wall, holding an arm wide for Leia to join him. She did so, grateful for the comfort his arms brought.

"He matched me move for move." Han said with a soft smile. "I took my shirt off, he took his shirt off. I dropped my pants, he dropped his pants. He even copied me when I planted my hands on my hips and proudly displayed my masculinity for all to see."

Leia chuckled until a shadow fell over Han's face.

"Then they took swabs from just about every crease in his body, ran their diagnostic machine over everything and I do mean _everything_. Bagged his clothes and sent him home in that plastic suit over there." Han nodded to the white coverall Jorj had come home in. "He never flinched once, not even when they swabbed his you-know-what or his asshole. I coulda told them he hadn't been molested, they didn't need to do all that."

"They were just doing their job." Leia tried to reason.

"Their job stinks!" Han grumbled.

"Did he say any more about where he got to?" Leia asked.

"You're not gonna believe this!" Han said. "He said his 'guardian angel' promised to help him find his way home."

"His 'guardian angel'?" Leia asked.

"Apparently, he's been watching over him since the day he was born." Han explained.

"That I _can_ believe." She laughed, lightly, mentally reviewing his difficult birth, exceptional recovery and continued development.

"Wait 'til you hear who his guardian angel is." Han tilted Leia's face up to his. "Anakin."

"Well...he was conceived around the time Anakin died. It's possible his force spirit entered Jorj while still a foetus. That would explain his survival against the odds." Leia said, considering.

"Wrong Anakin. This one's a Skywalker." Han told her.

Leia blinked up at Han. "Is that meant to be some kind of a joke?"

"Not according to Jorj. He says his Grandpa regularly visits him when we're not around, to help and guide him." Han replied. "Although I think he was embellishing the story just to hold the medics interest."

Leia's eyes circled the room, narrowing on items that Jorj found particularly meaningful.

"If you ask me, it's all hokum!" Han went on. "I mean force-spirits or ghosts or whatever they are surely got better things to do with their time than hang around with some kid with no force abilities whatsoever."

"I hate the thought of _him_ being anywhere near our son!" She told him.

"It's nothing!" He insisted. "I bet he's heard the kids talking about Gramps and figured it was cool."

"When did you ever hear the kids talking about 'Gramps'?" She questioned.

"All I'm saying is, don't worry." He said to reassure her. "For one, he'd have to get past me first."

"He's a spirit Han. Corporeal bodies aren't a worry for him any more." She stated sarcastically.

"Maybe. But didn't Luke say he was 'at one with the Force' or something?" He asked. "Plus, if Jorj isn't Force-sensitive, what harm can he do him. In fact, since he's dead, what harm can he do any of us?"

"I won't have him here Han. Not here. Not in our home!" She scowled.

"He never comes here. Not according to Jorj." He said and graced her with a soft, loving smile. "Why don't you go get some sleep honey. I'm gonna hunker down here a little while longer with the little guy."

He kissed her temple and when she tried to protest, insisted she needed her rest. Leia could sense that Han wanted some time alone and, after sharing another kiss, headed off to their bedroom.

It was some considerable time later that Han finally appeared.  
He looked more exhausted than Leia had seen him in quite some time. His life as a smuggler had given him the ability to snatch seconds of sleep and make them count. But his life as a smuggler had been a very long time ago now and the comforts of a soft mattress and equally soft pillow had long since become the norm.

He sank into the bed beside her, sleepy eyes staring up at the ceiling.

"What is it? What are you worried about telling me?" Leia asked softly.

"Been thinking is all." He replied, his voice gravelly from weariness.

Leia slipped her small hand into his and drew it to her lips, kissing the backs of his fingers.

"Nice thoughts?" She queried.

"I'm sick of this place. Of this life." He replied, still staring at the ceiling. "I want out."

Leia's belly flipped. Then flipped again. Then chilled.

"You're leaving me?" She exclaimed.

"No! Hell no! I admit I can see why you'd think that with my track record. But no, seriously, no!" He rolled onto his side, reaching out to cup her cheek. "Leia, you're the best thing to come outta all o' this; you and the kids. But, if we're honest, we made this our home because we needed to for your work. Only, you don't need to work _here_ any more. You don't need the cityscape to write your memoirs. You could do that any place. Probably better if you weren't distracted by all the intrusions Coruscant has to offer."

"So...you want us to move off planet?" She queried, her voice an octave too high. "What about Jaina and the baby? What about Jacen? His temptation to addiction isn't just going to go away over night! And then there's Jorj, you know how hard it was to find him a school he liked."

"I know how hard it was to find him a school _we_ liked." Han countered. "And Jaina and the baby will thrive just as well without us living a few blocks away. As for Jacen, he's got Tilly."

"Have you forgotten the unholy mess that lay slumped on our doorstep not so long back?" She snapped, sitting up. "Did he take _that_ to Tilly"

"It's complicated Leia. I promised not to say anything and I can't break that trust; you know how fragile my relationship with Jacen is." He argued, pushing to his elbows.

"I know it would have been a whole lot stronger if you hadn't favoured Jaina over him." She told him.

He wanted to fight back. To tell her she was wrong. That it wasn't his ability to love Jacen that was at fault, but his inability to _express_ his love that had caused their rift. But that was a fight for another day.

"Jacen wants out of the business." He said calmly, rationally. "And it got me thinking about all the things I'd wanted and simply left to rot because the time wasn't right."

"So you think that time is now?" She challenged.

"I think..." He considered his words. "I think it will take us a while to sell the apartment and buy some place new. And I think we use that time to make sure the kids are okay." He lay back, staring again at the ceiling. "That's what I think."

Leia studied him.  
When they had met, he had seemed to her a mercenary in every sense of the word and she had not been silent about her observation.  
But he had proven her wrong. Time and again he had shown his unspoken devotion to her cause as well as to her specifically.

He had given up much as her husband, not least his freedom.

She lay back down beside him, on her side to look at him. "What things did you leave to 'rot' until the time was right?"

"It was just a figure of speech Ley." He replied. "It's late...or early...depending on your point of view. You should get some sleep."

"I'll sleep." She agreed reluctantly. "But this conversation isn't over. We'll talk again in the morning."


End file.
